The present invention relates to a loading platform and more particularly, a loading platform for loading and disembarking passengers from floating carriers forming part of an amusement ride.
An important feature of amusement rides is the safe and efficient loading and unloading of passengers into and from the passenger carriers. In the past, on amusement rides wherein passengers were transported in boat-like structures, it was common practice to bring the carrier to a loading or disembarking station, stop the carrier and hold it in a stationary position while the passengers were being loaded into the carrier. Where the carrier was floating during this period of time, movement was imparted to the carrier by the passengers getting in an out of the carrier. This, of course, was undesirable due to the instability of the vehicle. In attempts to stabilize the carrier during the loading and unloading, it has been anticipated that the carriers would be raised on a rotating disk which lifts the boat-like structure out of the water so that it would be supported on a stationary surface. While it was being transported on the stationary surface, passengers could step into and out of the carrier.
One example of an amusement ride using carriers that float on water and permit the loading and unloading of passengers from a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,521. Another example of an inclined rotary water platform is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,689,138. In this particular patent, there is disclosed an amusement device adapted for use by bathers at bathing places or at amusement places wherein as a result of the nature of the rotary platform being set in an oblique plane, bathers could be selectively deposited and removed from a body of water.
Accordingly it is a principle object of the present invention to control the movement of cars so that they can be loaded on a rotary platform in a uniform and spaced manner by the flow of water passing through flumes.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a very safe and reliable method for loading passengers into floating carriers on amusement rides.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a very simple and efficient mechanism for loading passengers into boat-like structures while the boat-like structures are on solid surfaces and then depositing the boat-like structure back into a moving body of water.